I was on Cat’s Tales, a blog talk radio show last night. The discussion was on the importance of optimism and how to overcome negativity. I hope you can listen in. Here’s the link.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sassycat38.
One of the tips I give in the valiant quest to overcome grouchiness is to avoid nasty people. This is easier said than done, particularly during the holidays when forced family gatherings are the norm. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and sometimes even Halloween can be a time when you are face to fork with negative folks who share your DNA.
I wouldn’t say my relatives are particularly negative, although a few are. However, the sarcasm gene runs strong in my family. In fact I think I got a double dose of it. For instance, my mother was a lousy cook. She preferred cigarettes and coffee to developing any culinary skills, so we all assumed food came in two varieties – raw and burnt. She was the butt of numerous jokes. When one of us wanted the bowl of mashed potatoes we would ask, “One lump or two.”
Now the tables have turned and I am the recipient of a few unkind witticisms. The story of my attempt at making gravy for our Thanksgiving feast will live forever in my in-law’s hearts. The darn gravy wouldn’t thicken and not being a patient cook, I shoveled enough flour in the pot to stock a shelf in Walmart. Anyway, the gravy bubbled into some strange mass and I tell everyone it is now a sculpture in the backyard.
I take the kidding in stride because I do not define myself by my expertise as a chef. Gravy is not a regular item on the menu at the house. I grew up on the stuff, but once I left home I rarely made it. If I’m going to clog my arteries, I’d rather do it with chocolate. So it doesn’t hit a nerve if people want to tease me about my cooking.
However, other sarcastic jibes hit closer to the bone. Family favorites were my quest for a job. It took me 13 years to earn my Bachelor’s degree in journalism and after I graduated I searched in vain for 9 months before I landed my first professional job. Once I had the job nobody asked me about it, but while I was unsuccessful in my attempts, the queries abounded.
That was a long time ago. Since that time I have acquired better coping skills, I’ve developed a more positive outlook, and I learned a few pointers that I would like to share with you.
• If someone has a negative comment, ask for their help in solving it. If they think you’re too fat, ask them to walk with you after dinner. Or better yet, tell them you have a two for one coupon to join a gym and you would love for them to accompany you.
• If someone wants to gossip about a family member (usually someone who isn’t there to defend themselves) simply say: “I do not think it is kind or gracious to talk about someone who isn’t here to defend themselves. Does anyone have something more positive we can discuss?”
• If the conversation gets snippy, suggest a new tradition. Go around the table and ask everyone to say one thing they are grateful for. This is the point of Thanksgiving. If they disagree, kindly ask them why everyone gathers together for the holidays. If it is to moan and groan, then let the snippy ones have their own holiday. The moan and groan dinner fest. Unfortunately, you will not be attending.
• Confront with compassion. Many folks do not realize what they are saying is hurtful. Gently call them on it. “Aunt Sue, I love and admire you very much and I know you would never intentionally say anything to hurt me, but I feel your comment about (name it) was unkind. We suffer enough from the negativity in the world from strangers. Why don’t we use this family gathering as a time to help, nourish and be kind to one another?”
These tips may not turn instantly turn the trauma and drama of family gatherings into a love fest, but it is a start.
My last tip is totally self-serving, but my intent to help is sincere.
• Purchase numerous copies of my new book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within and give it to friends and family members for the holidays. It’s $12.99 on Amazon. It should be available mid October 2010. If you’re in a hurry, shoot me an email at comicsall@gmail.com and I can have one shipped out right away. You can also get one through www.unitedaestheticsorganization.com and I will donate $1 from each book to help fight skin cancer.
Please remember, we (and our friends and family) did not become negative overnight. It is a habit that was learned. Erasing negativity is a habit that can be learned as well. Why not start now? You don’t have to erase negativity every day, just on the days that you eat.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Halloween Rerun
It’s nearly Halloween and the stores are filled with ghoulish décor. On a recent outing my little granddaughter, Rosannah, discovered some holiday decorations packed more trick than treat. Rosannah is nearly two years old and quite fearless. She runs through the house with her hands in the air, scales the couch and her high chair with the speed of a mountain goat, and follows the family’s Rottweilers through the doggy door, with no worry of being trampled.
However, my plucky, little granddaughter’s bravery melted like a candy bar when she encountered a cackling witch at the local hardware store. Rosannah buried her head into her mother’s shoulder and whimpered, “no, no.” When she looked up, she saw another display – a werewolf. She smiled at the item and said, “doggy?” Then the eyes of the beast turned red. This elicited another whimpering “no, no” and she buried her dimpled face into her mother’s shoulder once again. Even something as innocuous as a skull on a glass elicits a quick retreat.
I’m not sure why the symbol of a skull is so frightening to Rosannah. It makes me wonder if there could be universal phobias that are buried deep within our collective consciousness. I read somewhere that snakes are feared in many cultures – including those areas that have never seen one of the slithering reptiles.
Other phobias are not so universal. For instance, my friend, Michele, has a 36-year-daughter who is afraid of dryer lint. I reminded her of this quirky habit. I assumed she had outgrown it. Nope. If her husband wanted a divorce he could chase her around the house with the lint, much like how her brother used to do when they were kids. But, like I said, the man wants to remain happily married so he takes care of the lint disposal. My normally logical sister, Diane, gets squeamish touching balls of cotton. I always felt I had a sense of power over her as I would valiantly pull the wad of the white padding from bottles of aspirin. Recently I reminded her of this childhood fear. Well, guess what? She still won’t touch the cotton balls.
The point is, there are many things that strike fear into the hearts of humankind. However, there is one demon that, unlike dryer lint, has caused tremendous harm, but holds free reign in society – negativity.
These pessimistic messages take various forms – news reports, gossip, complaints, lack of gratitude, judgmental thoughts, as well as stinging criticism of ourselves and others. Unfortunately, negativity has become so pervasive that many of us accept it as a normal part of life. This is especially true because we are bombarded with negative news 24/7. The reality is there are many more happy incidents in a day, but no journalist is going to lead the 5 o’clock news with a story of good cheer. As the old adage goes, “if it bleeds, it leads.”
As dismal as this may seem, the good news is we still have a choice on whether or not we are going to allow negativity to stain our lives. There is no law that says we have to watch depressing news. We should not feel compelled to listen to others say disparaging things about others. And we should never repeat gossip…period.
Living a happy life is not that difficult. Even in the most depressing situations there are things to be grateful for. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Every morning I recite several things that I appreciate in my life before I get out of bed. This only takes a few seconds, but it creates an attitude of gratitude that I try to embrace throughout the day.
For those who have a little more trouble adopting a positive attitude, there are little tricks you can perform to shift into an attitude of gratitude. One is to pretend you are happy until the real feeling washing over you. The “fake it until you make it” strategy is more powerful than you think. And what do you have to lose except maybe a rotten attitude?
In the meantime, you can always adopt an adult version of Rosannah’s technique when confronted with negative messages. It’s the same thing we teach children who are tempted to take drugs. Turn away and just say no.
However, my plucky, little granddaughter’s bravery melted like a candy bar when she encountered a cackling witch at the local hardware store. Rosannah buried her head into her mother’s shoulder and whimpered, “no, no.” When she looked up, she saw another display – a werewolf. She smiled at the item and said, “doggy?” Then the eyes of the beast turned red. This elicited another whimpering “no, no” and she buried her dimpled face into her mother’s shoulder once again. Even something as innocuous as a skull on a glass elicits a quick retreat.
I’m not sure why the symbol of a skull is so frightening to Rosannah. It makes me wonder if there could be universal phobias that are buried deep within our collective consciousness. I read somewhere that snakes are feared in many cultures – including those areas that have never seen one of the slithering reptiles.
Other phobias are not so universal. For instance, my friend, Michele, has a 36-year-daughter who is afraid of dryer lint. I reminded her of this quirky habit. I assumed she had outgrown it. Nope. If her husband wanted a divorce he could chase her around the house with the lint, much like how her brother used to do when they were kids. But, like I said, the man wants to remain happily married so he takes care of the lint disposal. My normally logical sister, Diane, gets squeamish touching balls of cotton. I always felt I had a sense of power over her as I would valiantly pull the wad of the white padding from bottles of aspirin. Recently I reminded her of this childhood fear. Well, guess what? She still won’t touch the cotton balls.
The point is, there are many things that strike fear into the hearts of humankind. However, there is one demon that, unlike dryer lint, has caused tremendous harm, but holds free reign in society – negativity.
These pessimistic messages take various forms – news reports, gossip, complaints, lack of gratitude, judgmental thoughts, as well as stinging criticism of ourselves and others. Unfortunately, negativity has become so pervasive that many of us accept it as a normal part of life. This is especially true because we are bombarded with negative news 24/7. The reality is there are many more happy incidents in a day, but no journalist is going to lead the 5 o’clock news with a story of good cheer. As the old adage goes, “if it bleeds, it leads.”
As dismal as this may seem, the good news is we still have a choice on whether or not we are going to allow negativity to stain our lives. There is no law that says we have to watch depressing news. We should not feel compelled to listen to others say disparaging things about others. And we should never repeat gossip…period.
Living a happy life is not that difficult. Even in the most depressing situations there are things to be grateful for. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Every morning I recite several things that I appreciate in my life before I get out of bed. This only takes a few seconds, but it creates an attitude of gratitude that I try to embrace throughout the day.
For those who have a little more trouble adopting a positive attitude, there are little tricks you can perform to shift into an attitude of gratitude. One is to pretend you are happy until the real feeling washing over you. The “fake it until you make it” strategy is more powerful than you think. And what do you have to lose except maybe a rotten attitude?
In the meantime, you can always adopt an adult version of Rosannah’s technique when confronted with negative messages. It’s the same thing we teach children who are tempted to take drugs. Turn away and just say no.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Do Overs! Do Overs!
Do you remember when you were young, made a mistake in a game and asked for “do overs?” That’s what it felt like when I recently listened to an interview I had on The Author’s Show, http://www.theauthorsshow.com/
I knew this particular interview had a broader audience than my past interviews and I was both excited and nervous about it. My apprehension was because the interview was scheduled when I would be camping in Port Townsend, WA. I didn’t want to delay the interview any longer as the September 2010 airing would coincide nicely with the release of the paperback version of my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. The catch was I had to do the interview on a land line, not my cell phone.
There was a pay phone near our camping site on Point Hudson Marina. I scoped the phone out. It worked. Not an easy feat these days. You try finding a working pay phone. However, it was noisy at the harbor. The search continued. I called the library and a very helpful librarian suggested I use the pay phone in front of their historic building. The interview was to take place on a weekday morning and she thought everything would work out fine.
The next day I cheerfully walked to the library, pulled out my trusty calling card and began the interview. A woman approached the library entrance with her puppy while the interview was in progress. She attempted to tie the dog to a bike rack and go inside for a few minutes. The poor pup had separation anxiety and whined and cried and barked. This was happening a few feet from where I was recording over the phone. Then a noisy truck rumbled past, followed by three very loud, friendly women who were having some sort of reunion.
I was getting anxious. My dream is to be a summer resident of Port Townsend one day and I did not relish the idea of asking the whiny dog’s owner and the chatty women to relocate to another area. Of course I had no control over the trucks rumbling past. “I thought this was a quiet town?” I thought to myself. “No,” I recalled, “It’s a friendly town. And these folks are just going about their day. You are the intruder here.”
Anyway, I did talk to the woman with the pup and she graciously stayed with the pooch until after my interview was through. I believe there is only one time when you can hear the little dog whine.
Which leads me to my point. Through the magic of editing, this interview sounds excellent. Most of the noise was edited out, the volume of my voice and that of the interviewer’s are clear, have matching volume, and everything flowed nicely.
It made me think of my childhood requests of “do overs.”
In real life we cannot edit our mistakes and pretend all is well. However, we can examine our thoughts, speech and actions and learn to recognize where negativity has set in, then make steps to replace the undesirable acts with positive ones.
No one is born negative. It is a learned response. Erase Negativity takes the viewpoint that if negativity is learned, than erasing it and replacing it with a constructive and affirmative life pattern can be learned as well.
So while we can’t exactly have a “do over” we can implement a little editing in our lives. In the interview I outline three simple steps toward erasing negativity.
• Recognize there is a problem. It is estimated human beings have 40,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day and 95% of them are negative.
• Try replacing negative thoughts with positive affirmations or determinations. Instead of saying “I must lose weight,” or “I’m too fat” say “I chose health and vitality.” Soon your brain will get the message and you will be open to new, healthier patterns you can adopt into action.
• Smile. Yes, it sounds corny, but it works. Practice smiling in front of a mirror for one minute, even (and especially) if you are not feeling happy. The good news is the irony of smiling when you’re upset can be so absurd that you may actually laugh. I know it works for me.
So why not try a little rebroadcasting of your life. Edit those negative thoughts, speech and actions and create a whole, new happier way to live.
For additional tips, be sure to check out the ebook at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/11183 and please tell your friends.
Also, be sure to keep checking out the blog to find out when paperback edition of the book will be released. I should have the final proof any day!
I knew this particular interview had a broader audience than my past interviews and I was both excited and nervous about it. My apprehension was because the interview was scheduled when I would be camping in Port Townsend, WA. I didn’t want to delay the interview any longer as the September 2010 airing would coincide nicely with the release of the paperback version of my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. The catch was I had to do the interview on a land line, not my cell phone.
There was a pay phone near our camping site on Point Hudson Marina. I scoped the phone out. It worked. Not an easy feat these days. You try finding a working pay phone. However, it was noisy at the harbor. The search continued. I called the library and a very helpful librarian suggested I use the pay phone in front of their historic building. The interview was to take place on a weekday morning and she thought everything would work out fine.
The next day I cheerfully walked to the library, pulled out my trusty calling card and began the interview. A woman approached the library entrance with her puppy while the interview was in progress. She attempted to tie the dog to a bike rack and go inside for a few minutes. The poor pup had separation anxiety and whined and cried and barked. This was happening a few feet from where I was recording over the phone. Then a noisy truck rumbled past, followed by three very loud, friendly women who were having some sort of reunion.
I was getting anxious. My dream is to be a summer resident of Port Townsend one day and I did not relish the idea of asking the whiny dog’s owner and the chatty women to relocate to another area. Of course I had no control over the trucks rumbling past. “I thought this was a quiet town?” I thought to myself. “No,” I recalled, “It’s a friendly town. And these folks are just going about their day. You are the intruder here.”
Anyway, I did talk to the woman with the pup and she graciously stayed with the pooch until after my interview was through. I believe there is only one time when you can hear the little dog whine.
Which leads me to my point. Through the magic of editing, this interview sounds excellent. Most of the noise was edited out, the volume of my voice and that of the interviewer’s are clear, have matching volume, and everything flowed nicely.
It made me think of my childhood requests of “do overs.”
In real life we cannot edit our mistakes and pretend all is well. However, we can examine our thoughts, speech and actions and learn to recognize where negativity has set in, then make steps to replace the undesirable acts with positive ones.
No one is born negative. It is a learned response. Erase Negativity takes the viewpoint that if negativity is learned, than erasing it and replacing it with a constructive and affirmative life pattern can be learned as well.
So while we can’t exactly have a “do over” we can implement a little editing in our lives. In the interview I outline three simple steps toward erasing negativity.
• Recognize there is a problem. It is estimated human beings have 40,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day and 95% of them are negative.
• Try replacing negative thoughts with positive affirmations or determinations. Instead of saying “I must lose weight,” or “I’m too fat” say “I chose health and vitality.” Soon your brain will get the message and you will be open to new, healthier patterns you can adopt into action.
• Smile. Yes, it sounds corny, but it works. Practice smiling in front of a mirror for one minute, even (and especially) if you are not feeling happy. The good news is the irony of smiling when you’re upset can be so absurd that you may actually laugh. I know it works for me.
So why not try a little rebroadcasting of your life. Edit those negative thoughts, speech and actions and create a whole, new happier way to live.
For additional tips, be sure to check out the ebook at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/11183 and please tell your friends.
Also, be sure to keep checking out the blog to find out when paperback edition of the book will be released. I should have the final proof any day!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Comment from Laser Beams of Love
I often post my blogs on different sites that use articles for newsletters or websites. I received this comment through my email regarding an earlier article I wrote called Laser Beams of Love. The comment was too long to post as a comment, so I'm reprinting it here to share with all of you. I'm printing it verbatim and hope you enjoy it. And to Daniel, thank you for your response. Here it is:
Greetings
I, Daniel in my search for truth and knowledge found that the old Quaker way of five minutes silence and observed how it affected people.
I must before continuing say I am not a follower of any specific religion, institution or practitioner of so called magic. I am only affiliated to humanity. (AS opposed to mankind)
"Beam of love". This was a part of me which I lost and rediscovered forty years later. I wondered is there anyone else who thinks like this. So I typed "beam of love" on a Google search and found you.
Six months ago I read a 1975 issue of The Psychologist Magazine about forgiving others and realized I was walking with a monkey/burden on my back. I then forgave every one I could possibly thinks of, even my father, my mother, my brothers and sisters for wrongs or perceived wrongs unto me. I even forgave myself.
Then I remembered my Beam/bubble of love which I used as follows:
I would try envisage, imagine or see a bubble of love emanating from me to all creations, birds, trees, the sky, mother earth.
After a while I realized what the golden thread that runs though all religions meant. viz. "Do unto others what You want them to do to you."
The Christian bible says "The more you give the more you receive". I did not do this to receive only to give, It reverted me back to the peace of my childhood and I again started feeling one with all humanity.
Then a question arose: If a number of people with no thought of receiving, no rituals, out of own motivation/choice i.e. without coercion, after discussing it or mentioning it to someone else if they in the privacy of their inner chamber enshrouded in a bubble of love while falling asleep, were to beam love to all creations what would happen on and to this world. Would the power generated be like putting hundreds of amplifiers together?
This is beyond religion because it embraces all mankind and love as I see it universal.
Thank you Sally for sharing.
Peace be with you all.
Greetings
I, Daniel in my search for truth and knowledge found that the old Quaker way of five minutes silence and observed how it affected people.
I must before continuing say I am not a follower of any specific religion, institution or practitioner of so called magic. I am only affiliated to humanity. (AS opposed to mankind)
"Beam of love". This was a part of me which I lost and rediscovered forty years later. I wondered is there anyone else who thinks like this. So I typed "beam of love" on a Google search and found you.
Six months ago I read a 1975 issue of The Psychologist Magazine about forgiving others and realized I was walking with a monkey/burden on my back. I then forgave every one I could possibly thinks of, even my father, my mother, my brothers and sisters for wrongs or perceived wrongs unto me. I even forgave myself.
Then I remembered my Beam/bubble of love which I used as follows:
I would try envisage, imagine or see a bubble of love emanating from me to all creations, birds, trees, the sky, mother earth.
After a while I realized what the golden thread that runs though all religions meant. viz. "Do unto others what You want them to do to you."
The Christian bible says "The more you give the more you receive". I did not do this to receive only to give, It reverted me back to the peace of my childhood and I again started feeling one with all humanity.
Then a question arose: If a number of people with no thought of receiving, no rituals, out of own motivation/choice i.e. without coercion, after discussing it or mentioning it to someone else if they in the privacy of their inner chamber enshrouded in a bubble of love while falling asleep, were to beam love to all creations what would happen on and to this world. Would the power generated be like putting hundreds of amplifiers together?
This is beyond religion because it embraces all mankind and love as I see it universal.
Thank you Sally for sharing.
Peace be with you all.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Wrong Bus is a Step in the Right Direction
I just read the book, The Wrong Bus, An Urban Christmas Story, by John Noel Hampton. I highly recommend it. Check it out at www.JohnNoelHampton.com or www.amazon.com. I enjoy reading, but it’s difficult for me to find a book, especially fiction, that I enjoy. When I find a novel that captures my interest I become immersed in the message and it becomes a part of me.
Because of this intimate connection I have with my reading material, I have to be choosy. Depressing books darken my mood, thrillers make me anxious, but inspirational books lighten my soul.
The Wrong Bus is realistic, but hopeful. Here is a synopsis:
When Ida, a wealthy older optimist, sets out to complete her Christmas shopping, little does she know the dramatic turn her life will take when she decides to go by bus to save a few dollars and becomes the victim of a brutal assault. Her luck takes a three-sixty turn when Junior, a young African-American student from the wrong side of town with troubles of his own, comes to her rescue-or does it? Christmas in Los Angeles can bring out the worst in some, but it can also spin misery into miracles and just maybe restore faith.
In my own book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within, I caution individuals to pay attention to their daily intake of information. If we surround ourselves with negative people, listen to an onslaught of gloomy news reports, fill up our free time with depressing music and read books with dark messages, it only makes sense that it will affect our moods.
That doesn’t mean we have to be oblivious to world events, but I do think it’s important to balance the flow of negative and positive in our lives. For instance, the very nature of journalism is to put a focus on scary, depressing or horrible events. The old adage, “If it bleeds, it leads” is as true now as it has been for decades. So if one is immersed in dismal news stories, you could believe the entire world is bad, crime-ridden and without hope. However, predominately negative stories are being covered, and the reason they are stories in the first place is because of the negative and depressing nature of the event.
But that is not a realistic look at the world.
I believe there is a lot more good than bad. We just need to pay more attention to it. It’s one of the reasons I make a conscious effort to start my day reciting things that I’m grateful for. It can be as simple as seeing the sun shine, having the strength to get out of bed, thinking about the many people in my life who I care about and care about me, as well as having a roof over my bed and enough food to eat. These are simple things for most of us, but they are luxuries or non existent for others.
But back to the book, The Wrong Bus.
We make choices in our lives and one is what we choose to read. John has not only written a realistic, but heart-warming tale, he is donating $2 from the sale of each book (now through Nov. 30, 2010) to charity. I hope you will go to www.Amazon.com or to John’s website and get the book. In my opinion, The Wrong Bus is the right choice for a good holiday read.
Because of this intimate connection I have with my reading material, I have to be choosy. Depressing books darken my mood, thrillers make me anxious, but inspirational books lighten my soul.
The Wrong Bus is realistic, but hopeful. Here is a synopsis:
When Ida, a wealthy older optimist, sets out to complete her Christmas shopping, little does she know the dramatic turn her life will take when she decides to go by bus to save a few dollars and becomes the victim of a brutal assault. Her luck takes a three-sixty turn when Junior, a young African-American student from the wrong side of town with troubles of his own, comes to her rescue-or does it? Christmas in Los Angeles can bring out the worst in some, but it can also spin misery into miracles and just maybe restore faith.
In my own book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within, I caution individuals to pay attention to their daily intake of information. If we surround ourselves with negative people, listen to an onslaught of gloomy news reports, fill up our free time with depressing music and read books with dark messages, it only makes sense that it will affect our moods.
That doesn’t mean we have to be oblivious to world events, but I do think it’s important to balance the flow of negative and positive in our lives. For instance, the very nature of journalism is to put a focus on scary, depressing or horrible events. The old adage, “If it bleeds, it leads” is as true now as it has been for decades. So if one is immersed in dismal news stories, you could believe the entire world is bad, crime-ridden and without hope. However, predominately negative stories are being covered, and the reason they are stories in the first place is because of the negative and depressing nature of the event.
But that is not a realistic look at the world.
I believe there is a lot more good than bad. We just need to pay more attention to it. It’s one of the reasons I make a conscious effort to start my day reciting things that I’m grateful for. It can be as simple as seeing the sun shine, having the strength to get out of bed, thinking about the many people in my life who I care about and care about me, as well as having a roof over my bed and enough food to eat. These are simple things for most of us, but they are luxuries or non existent for others.
But back to the book, The Wrong Bus.
We make choices in our lives and one is what we choose to read. John has not only written a realistic, but heart-warming tale, he is donating $2 from the sale of each book (now through Nov. 30, 2010) to charity. I hope you will go to www.Amazon.com or to John’s website and get the book. In my opinion, The Wrong Bus is the right choice for a good holiday read.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Divine Education
It was Tuesday, the day after Labor Day. In my youth this date was significant as it signified the first day of a new school year. As I drove around running errands, I thought back to this special anniversary.
I was an honor student in college, but when I was a kid I was, at best, a mediocre pupil. I hated sitting in a chair all day, a lot of the kids (and teachers) were mean, and I never felt like I fit in. So I wasn’t always excited to start a new year, but I do remember being hopeful that each new school year would be better than the one before.
I remember feeling horribly guilty about mistakes I made and how I wish I could just start my life over with a clean slate. Now granted, these mistakes were probably relatively minor transgressions - teasing my sister, stepping on the neighbor’s lawn, forgetting to do my homework etc., but I remember how heavy they weighed in my heart.
On more than one occasion I wanted to kill myself. I thought things would be better in heaven. Of course as an elementary school kid, maybe 8 years old or so, I didn’t understand that suicide was a sin. My theological studies consisted of stories from the New Testament and singing “Jesus Loves Me” and “Jesus Loves the Little Children.”
Unlike, Cynthia Sue Larson, one of the women I interviewed for my book, “Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within” I did not have divine intervention to prevent my desire to end my life. I eventually gave up on my plot. Plus my mom kept a pretty close watch on me and possible implements of destruction. However, when Cynthia told me about her experience, it made me realize how important it is to remind everyone, children and adults, how valuable their lives are. As a reminder, here is an excerpt from Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within.
“At only five years of age, Cynthia wanted to die, that she might return to that blissful state of being where everyone was loving, honest, and integrated.
Fortunately, Cynthia’s connection with the spirit world was strong.
“Bright beings of luminous light appeared before me,” said Cynthia as she remembers the incident. “I had not heard of angels, and so I didn't think of them as angels at that time. These beings showed me a great deal about what it meant to be alive, and how very special and precious our lives truly are, no matter how difficult it may seem much of the time. Where I had been feeling sad because I remembered the true state of spiritual ecstasy on "the other side" from this life, I felt joy at seeing these beautiful, radiant, loving and compassionate beings with their message for me that I could choose to live either "fast" or "slow." The fast life would be one which would end very soon, and they showed me how such an early death would have devastating and lasting emotional consequences for my parents and sister. The slow life would be one in which I would be able to help many people have a better understanding of how good their lives could be.”
Cynthia is a deeply compassionate, spiritually enlightened woman. When I had the honor to interview her (in person in San Francisco) she seemed to vibrate at a higher level than other human beings I have met. I experienced the same sensation when I talked to her on the phone a few months later.
In my book (as well as her own book, Aura Advantage) she describes some excellent methods to erase negativity and raise your life vibration. I hope you will do as I did and check out more on what she has to say.
There are times when our lives are painful. But there are many joyous moments as well. I can’t imagine how catastrophic it would have been had I ended my life as a child. There are so many wondrous things I would have missed, not to mention the horrific pain others who knew me would have felt at my untimely demise.
Cynthia and I have lived different lives, but we both share this childhood experience of wanting to return to a different dimension. Cynthia has gone on and helped hundreds of people with her work. I hope to do the same with my book.
Now I’d like to come full circle with this story.
We may not be formally attending school, but our lives are an ongoing series of lessons. At times things may seem happy and easy, other times painful and difficult. However, there is always something important to learn. If you are unhappy I hope you will take some steps to erase the negativity from your life. It may not be easy, but all of us have the power to change.
Looking back at myself as a kid, I remember a mischievous, occasionally depressed, goofy-looking, cross-eyed, buck-toothed kid. But I knew I would eventually change. My teeth straightened on their own without braces, my eyes were fixed with surgery, and with time I have morphed into a normal-looking, middle-aged woman. However, it took time and effort for the attitude adjustment. And that is a work in progress, even for me.
But it happened. I am not unique. We all have the power to change our lives for the better. We can help ourselves and we can help others too. And the good news is you don’t need to wait for the beginning of a new school year. You can do it right now. Consider this your formal invitation. Why not get started today?
I was an honor student in college, but when I was a kid I was, at best, a mediocre pupil. I hated sitting in a chair all day, a lot of the kids (and teachers) were mean, and I never felt like I fit in. So I wasn’t always excited to start a new year, but I do remember being hopeful that each new school year would be better than the one before.
I remember feeling horribly guilty about mistakes I made and how I wish I could just start my life over with a clean slate. Now granted, these mistakes were probably relatively minor transgressions - teasing my sister, stepping on the neighbor’s lawn, forgetting to do my homework etc., but I remember how heavy they weighed in my heart.
On more than one occasion I wanted to kill myself. I thought things would be better in heaven. Of course as an elementary school kid, maybe 8 years old or so, I didn’t understand that suicide was a sin. My theological studies consisted of stories from the New Testament and singing “Jesus Loves Me” and “Jesus Loves the Little Children.”
Unlike, Cynthia Sue Larson, one of the women I interviewed for my book, “Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within” I did not have divine intervention to prevent my desire to end my life. I eventually gave up on my plot. Plus my mom kept a pretty close watch on me and possible implements of destruction. However, when Cynthia told me about her experience, it made me realize how important it is to remind everyone, children and adults, how valuable their lives are. As a reminder, here is an excerpt from Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within.
“At only five years of age, Cynthia wanted to die, that she might return to that blissful state of being where everyone was loving, honest, and integrated.
Fortunately, Cynthia’s connection with the spirit world was strong.
“Bright beings of luminous light appeared before me,” said Cynthia as she remembers the incident. “I had not heard of angels, and so I didn't think of them as angels at that time. These beings showed me a great deal about what it meant to be alive, and how very special and precious our lives truly are, no matter how difficult it may seem much of the time. Where I had been feeling sad because I remembered the true state of spiritual ecstasy on "the other side" from this life, I felt joy at seeing these beautiful, radiant, loving and compassionate beings with their message for me that I could choose to live either "fast" or "slow." The fast life would be one which would end very soon, and they showed me how such an early death would have devastating and lasting emotional consequences for my parents and sister. The slow life would be one in which I would be able to help many people have a better understanding of how good their lives could be.”
Cynthia is a deeply compassionate, spiritually enlightened woman. When I had the honor to interview her (in person in San Francisco) she seemed to vibrate at a higher level than other human beings I have met. I experienced the same sensation when I talked to her on the phone a few months later.
In my book (as well as her own book, Aura Advantage) she describes some excellent methods to erase negativity and raise your life vibration. I hope you will do as I did and check out more on what she has to say.
There are times when our lives are painful. But there are many joyous moments as well. I can’t imagine how catastrophic it would have been had I ended my life as a child. There are so many wondrous things I would have missed, not to mention the horrific pain others who knew me would have felt at my untimely demise.
Cynthia and I have lived different lives, but we both share this childhood experience of wanting to return to a different dimension. Cynthia has gone on and helped hundreds of people with her work. I hope to do the same with my book.
Now I’d like to come full circle with this story.
We may not be formally attending school, but our lives are an ongoing series of lessons. At times things may seem happy and easy, other times painful and difficult. However, there is always something important to learn. If you are unhappy I hope you will take some steps to erase the negativity from your life. It may not be easy, but all of us have the power to change.
Looking back at myself as a kid, I remember a mischievous, occasionally depressed, goofy-looking, cross-eyed, buck-toothed kid. But I knew I would eventually change. My teeth straightened on their own without braces, my eyes were fixed with surgery, and with time I have morphed into a normal-looking, middle-aged woman. However, it took time and effort for the attitude adjustment. And that is a work in progress, even for me.
But it happened. I am not unique. We all have the power to change our lives for the better. We can help ourselves and we can help others too. And the good news is you don’t need to wait for the beginning of a new school year. You can do it right now. Consider this your formal invitation. Why not get started today?
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Erasing Illness
I am sick. I caught some sort of virus and it has resulted in body aches, lethargy and a mild fever. The worst part is when I had chills (imagine wanting to wrap up in a blanket when it’s 110 degrees outside.) Thankfully, that part of my malady only lasted one day.
Other than migraines, I rarely get sick. I have an upbeat attitude, a good immune system and bugs and viruses generally avoid me. But this time I was not so lucky. Worse yet, I know why it happened and I only have myself to blame. I was a crab. Germs like crabby people. Some germs even look like crabs and I bet they like hanging out with their own ilk.
This is more than a passing thought. There is a lot of evidence about how people who are optimistic and full of gratitude are healthier and happier. I’m too sick to look up all the statistics, but it’s pretty much common knowledge about the happy and healthy connection. It was even a topic of discussion on one of the radio blogs I was on (Gab With The Gurus) a few weeks ago.
So how did this happen to me? How did the author of Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within fall victim to illness? Well, for one, I was exposed to a sick kid, my great nephew. I knew he was sick and I probably wasn’t as careful as I should have been. But I think the real reason is my immune was suppressed because I had been crabby.
A couple days prior to this, we thought my purse was stolen. My spouse and I were camping and on the day I was to fly home for a week (CB was continuing on) my purse disappeared. This resulted in a whirlwind of activity to learn what hoops I was going to have to jump through to get through airport security. It also involved filing a police report, canceling credit cards, reporting the info to the credit bureaus, getting a new driver’s license, passport etc. etc. etc.
In addition to the stress, I had a real bad taste in my mouth about the schmucks who stole my purse. I was careful about locking the truck, hiding the purse or carrying it with me. And since I was gone for two months, I had everything I needed in the bag (prescription sunglasses, regular glasses, a flash drive with a lot of my documents in it, Costco card, insurance card and the list goes on.)
Whoever stole my purse had to have been watching closely and been VERY clever.
I returned to Arizona, went through the process of recreating everything in my missing wallet. Four days later I get a call from CB that the vagabond purse was found wedged between the wheel well of the camper and a small hanging bag that we used to stuff flashlights and other small objects.
Of course I was happy the bag was found. Unfortunately I couldn’t help but wish it had been discovered before I shelled out the pesos to get new glasses, the aggravation of hanging out at the DMV all morning and the future hassle and expense I will endure when I replace the passport (and no, they will not let me use the old that I reported stolen even when I explained what happened.) However, the worst part was the voluntary descent into hell I endured during this whole process. I was mad at myself, the theoretical burglar, and CB for insisting the purse was stolen in the first place.
Rather than go through a litany of my negative process, let’s just suffice it to say that I was angry and not getting over it very well. It’s not a place I usually dwell, but I’m human and I rented space in the grouchy kingdom for a while.
Then I flew to Denver, met with CB’s relatives (including the sick great nephew) and on to a couple more days of camping.
Finally, I was back home. Then I got sick.
This is not surprising, because even though my purse and all its contents were found, my brain was still stuck in aggravation mode. It’s as if all the negativity that I had experienced was poring out of my body. It’s no wonder I was sick.
I’m getting through the day taking Tylenol, drinking lots of fluids and getting plenty of rest. I’m sure I’ll be better in a day or two. The lesson I learned is that mind and body are more connected than we think. If a short, but intense bout of negativity can have deleterious effects on a normally optimistic person, just imagine what years of negativity can do?
So, in conclusion, don’t fall victim to negativity. No good comes from it. If you want to learn some useful tips, get out your credit card, go to smashwords and buy a copy of the ebook (the physical copy should be ready in two weeks!) But be sure to keep you wallet in a safe place. It’s good to be optimistic, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Tylenol.
Other than migraines, I rarely get sick. I have an upbeat attitude, a good immune system and bugs and viruses generally avoid me. But this time I was not so lucky. Worse yet, I know why it happened and I only have myself to blame. I was a crab. Germs like crabby people. Some germs even look like crabs and I bet they like hanging out with their own ilk.
This is more than a passing thought. There is a lot of evidence about how people who are optimistic and full of gratitude are healthier and happier. I’m too sick to look up all the statistics, but it’s pretty much common knowledge about the happy and healthy connection. It was even a topic of discussion on one of the radio blogs I was on (Gab With The Gurus) a few weeks ago.
So how did this happen to me? How did the author of Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within fall victim to illness? Well, for one, I was exposed to a sick kid, my great nephew. I knew he was sick and I probably wasn’t as careful as I should have been. But I think the real reason is my immune was suppressed because I had been crabby.
A couple days prior to this, we thought my purse was stolen. My spouse and I were camping and on the day I was to fly home for a week (CB was continuing on) my purse disappeared. This resulted in a whirlwind of activity to learn what hoops I was going to have to jump through to get through airport security. It also involved filing a police report, canceling credit cards, reporting the info to the credit bureaus, getting a new driver’s license, passport etc. etc. etc.
In addition to the stress, I had a real bad taste in my mouth about the schmucks who stole my purse. I was careful about locking the truck, hiding the purse or carrying it with me. And since I was gone for two months, I had everything I needed in the bag (prescription sunglasses, regular glasses, a flash drive with a lot of my documents in it, Costco card, insurance card and the list goes on.)
Whoever stole my purse had to have been watching closely and been VERY clever.
I returned to Arizona, went through the process of recreating everything in my missing wallet. Four days later I get a call from CB that the vagabond purse was found wedged between the wheel well of the camper and a small hanging bag that we used to stuff flashlights and other small objects.
Of course I was happy the bag was found. Unfortunately I couldn’t help but wish it had been discovered before I shelled out the pesos to get new glasses, the aggravation of hanging out at the DMV all morning and the future hassle and expense I will endure when I replace the passport (and no, they will not let me use the old that I reported stolen even when I explained what happened.) However, the worst part was the voluntary descent into hell I endured during this whole process. I was mad at myself, the theoretical burglar, and CB for insisting the purse was stolen in the first place.
Rather than go through a litany of my negative process, let’s just suffice it to say that I was angry and not getting over it very well. It’s not a place I usually dwell, but I’m human and I rented space in the grouchy kingdom for a while.
Then I flew to Denver, met with CB’s relatives (including the sick great nephew) and on to a couple more days of camping.
Finally, I was back home. Then I got sick.
This is not surprising, because even though my purse and all its contents were found, my brain was still stuck in aggravation mode. It’s as if all the negativity that I had experienced was poring out of my body. It’s no wonder I was sick.
I’m getting through the day taking Tylenol, drinking lots of fluids and getting plenty of rest. I’m sure I’ll be better in a day or two. The lesson I learned is that mind and body are more connected than we think. If a short, but intense bout of negativity can have deleterious effects on a normally optimistic person, just imagine what years of negativity can do?
So, in conclusion, don’t fall victim to negativity. No good comes from it. If you want to learn some useful tips, get out your credit card, go to smashwords and buy a copy of the ebook (the physical copy should be ready in two weeks!) But be sure to keep you wallet in a safe place. It’s good to be optimistic, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Tylenol.
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